Here's what 'playing at home' looks like for the University of Cincinnati's women's basketball team

The next time University of Cincinnati women's basketball team has a home game it will be in a high school gym. Meanwhile, the UC men's team will play in a college arena nearby.
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Temporary banners and scoreboard covers cover the gym into a home court for the Bearcats during the NCAA women's basketball game between the Cincinnati Bearcats and the Southeastern Louisiana Lions at St. Ursula Academy in the East Walnut Hills neighborhood of Cincinnati on Wednesday, Nov. 15, 2017. At halftime the Bearcats led 44-19. (Photo: Sam Greene)

Two black banners exclaiming "We wear Cincinnati" are draped over the blue mats on the walls of each endline at St. Ursula Academy's gymnasium.

A couple hundred fans dressed in red and black shout "B-E-A-R-C-A-T-S" while standing in a single set of blue and gold stands that read SUA. They are led by a pep band and accompanied by the University of Cincinnati cheer and dance teams.

The players and coaches sit in red and black "Cincinnati" branded chairs, but the lines on the court don't match. There's no "C" paw logo stamped to the center of the wood floor at the private all-girls Catholic high school.

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The Bearcats women's basketball team takes the floor for the first time at its temporary home before the NCAA women's basketball game between the Cincinnati Bearcats and the Southeastern Louisiana Lions at St. Ursula Academy in the East Walnut Hills neighborhood of Cincinnati on Wednesday, Nov. 15, 2017. While Fifth Third Arena undergoes an $87 million renovation, the women's teams compete at St. Ursula Academy and the men's basketball team plays at Northern Kentucky University's BB&T Arena. Sam Greene

Bearcats Shanice Johnson (21) rises for a shot in the first quarter of the NCAA women's basketball game between the Cincinnati Bearcats and the Southeastern Louisiana Lions at St. Ursula Academy in the East Walnut Hills neighborhood of Cincinnati on Wednesday, Nov. 15, 2017. At halftime the Bearcats led 44-19. Sam Greene

Bearcats Ana Owens (3) looks for an open pass in the first quarter of the NCAA women's basketball game between the Cincinnati Bearcats and the Southeastern Louisiana Lions at St. Ursula Academy in the East Walnut Hills neighborhood of Cincinnati on Wednesday, Nov. 15, 2017. At halftime the Bearcats led 44-19. Sam Greene

Bearcats Antoinette Miller (12) takes the ball down court in the second quarter of the NCAA women's basketball game between the Cincinnati Bearcats and the Southeastern Louisiana Lions at St. Ursula Academy in the East Walnut Hills neighborhood of Cincinnati on Wednesday, Nov. 15, 2017. At halftime the Bearcats led 44-19. Sam Greene

Bearcats guard Nikira Goings (2) leaps for a shot in the second quarter of the NCAA women's basketball game between the Cincinnati Bearcats and the Southeastern Louisiana Lions at St. Ursula Academy in the East Walnut Hills neighborhood of Cincinnati on Wednesday, Nov. 15, 2017. At halftime the Bearcats led 44-19. Sam Greene

Bearcats Iimar'i Thomas (22) leans back to throw a pass under double coverage in the second quarter of the NCAA women's basketball game between the Cincinnati Bearcats and the Southeastern Louisiana Lions at St. Ursula Academy in the East Walnut Hills neighborhood of Cincinnati on Wednesday, Nov. 15, 2017. At halftime the Bearcats led 44-19. Sam Greene

Bearcats Maya Benham (20) blocks a shot by Lions Tytiana Hall (2) in the second quarter of the NCAA women's basketball game between the Cincinnati Bearcats and the Southeastern Louisiana Lions at St. Ursula Academy in the East Walnut Hills neighborhood of Cincinnati on Wednesday, Nov. 15, 2017. At halftime the Bearcats led 44-19. Sam Greene

Temporary banners and scoreboard covers cover the gym into a home court for the Bearcats during the NCAA women's basketball game between the Cincinnati Bearcats and the Southeastern Louisiana Lions at St. Ursula Academy in the East Walnut Hills neighborhood of Cincinnati on Wednesday, Nov. 15, 2017. At halftime the Bearcats led 44-19. Sam Greene

Bearcats head coach Jamelle Elliott directs her defense in the second quarter of the NCAA women's basketball game between the Cincinnati Bearcats and the Southeastern Louisiana Lions at St. Ursula Academy in the East Walnut Hills neighborhood of Cincinnati on Wednesday, Nov. 15, 2017. At halftime the Bearcats led 44-19. Sam Greene

The UC Bearcats entertains a young fan in the bleachers during the second quarter of the NCAA women's basketball game between the Cincinnati Bearcats and the Southeastern Louisiana Lions at St. Ursula Academy in the East Walnut Hills neighborhood of Cincinnati on Wednesday, Nov. 15, 2017. At halftime the Bearcats led 44-19. Sam Greene

The UC Bearcats stands with a camera man on the elevated mezzanine during the fourth quarter of the NCAA women's basketball game between the Cincinnati Bearcats and the Southeastern Louisiana Lions at St. Ursula Academy in the East Walnut Hills neighborhood of Cincinnati on Wednesday, Nov. 15, 2017. Sam Greene

The UC Pep Band performs during a time out in the fourth quarter of the NCAA women's basketball game between the Cincinnati Bearcats and the Southeastern Louisiana Lions at St. Ursula Academy in the East Walnut Hills neighborhood of Cincinnati on Wednesday, Nov. 15, 2017. Sam Greene

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UC's Division 1 women's basketball and volleyball teams are playing their home games on this court this season, while Fifth Third Arena is under renovation. Meanwhile, the men are playing at Northern Kentucky University's BB&T Arena.

Bearcats head coach Jamelle Elliott directs her defense in the second quarter of the NCAA women's basketball game between the Cincinnati Bearcats and the Southeastern Louisiana Lions at St. Ursula Academy in the East Walnut Hills neighborhood of Cincinnati on Wednesday, Nov. 15, 2017. At halftime the Bearcats led 44-19. (Photo: Sam Greene)

"This is an opportunity for us to make this as intimate of an environment as we possibly can," said Jamelle Elliott, UC women's basketball head coach. "We have to take advantage of this home court advantage because it could be one if we make it."

The Lady Bearcats pounded the Southeastern Louisiana Lions 82-43 in their first game at St. Ursula. The seating in the East Walnut Hills gym is less than a tenth of the size of their former home court.

Elliott said the smaller gym made the pep band feel louder than it did at Fifth Third Arena. Players could hear the fans' "airball" and "D-fense" chants. The energy wasn't swallowed by a big arena.

There wasn't a quiet moment in the gym, except when there was a Lady Bearcat at the free-throw line.

The UC Pep Band performs during a time out in the fourth quarter of the NCAA women's basketball game between the Cincinnati Bearcats and the Southeastern Louisiana Lions at St. Ursula Academy in the East Walnut Hills neighborhood of Cincinnati on Wednesday, Nov. 15, 2017.(Photo: Sam Greene)

"We just wanted to make it as loud as possible and a tough environment for the opponent," sophomore guard Antoinette Miller said. "Having our supporters here, it still feels like a home game."

The team didn't have an official practice in the gym before the gameday shootaround but seemed comfortable enough with the rims. Miller put up 20 points and the team shot 60 percent from the field.

This was the team's first outing at St. Ursula, but it's home-opener and an exhibition game were played at Cincinnati State Technical and Community College. UC officials said that gym is even smaller than the one at St. Ursula, which has about 1,000 seats.

The men, on the other hand, have been playing in NKU's arena that holds more than 9,000.

The Bearcats defend their basket in the second half of the regular season opening game between the Cincinnati Bearcats and the Savannah State Tigers at BB&T Arena in Highland Heights, Ky., on Friday, Nov. 10, 2017. The Bearcats opened the season with a 107-77 win inside their temporary home at Northern Kentucky University. (Photo: Sam Greene)

National experts and local community leaders said UC's decision to choose these locations discriminates against women and violates federal law.

"The fact that this is even within the realm of possibility ... speaks to the value that we place on women’s sports in our culture," Cheryl Cooky, an associate professor at Purdue University, told The Enquirer last spring. "Even in 2017 women are still second-class citizens in the world of collegiate athletics."

Cooky is an expert on Title IX, which ensures universities provide all student-athletes equitable access to resources including facilities, equipment, practice times and coaching. She said the U.S. Department of Education Office for Civil Rights would investigate the situation if someone filed a federal Title IX complaint, though no one has.

Athletic director Mike Bohn has said playing at St. Ursula creates a "competitive advantage" for the program and student-athletes. The "significantly smaller venue" that's close to campus will provide a strong gameday environment and boost energy, he said. It also accommodates space for the UC band and cheerleaders, areas for post-game and courtside live media coverage, digital signage along the court and lights above the basket.

The UC Bearcats stands with a camera man on the elevated mezzanine during the fourth quarter of the NCAA women's basketball game between the Cincinnati Bearcats and the Southeastern Louisiana Lions at St. Ursula Academy in the East Walnut Hills neighborhood of Cincinnati on Wednesday, Nov. 15, 2017.(Photo: Sam Greene)

St. Ursula's gym and convocation center, which opened in 2003, is built to NCAA specifications and is less than two miles from UC's campus. The university is paying St. Ursula $1,650 per game and $60 per hour for practices, according to the contract. The volleyball team is guaranteed at least 10 games and the basketball team is guaranteed at least 15 games at the facility.

Fans will also have free admission and parking for all volleyball and basketball games, as they did at Fifth Third Arena last season.